Untitled, How I would have ended Mockingjay
by Elisi0n
Summary: Katniss x Gale - A short story I wrote the moment I finished Mockingjay because I was so unsatisfied. Post Mockingjay. Sorry, Peeta. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

_I don't own any of the characters, or the original story line. I was so unsatisfied when I finished Mockingjay, so I sat down and wrote this. I've never had the impulse to change the ending of a book or movie, so this is my first fanfic. Sorry for any improper grammar and typos. It's very brief, I hope you enjoy it._

Update:_ Thanks for all the encouraging words, guys! I won't be adding on to this - this is IT! You'll have to imagine what happens after this for yourself. I've gone through and fixed a few grammar errors and edited some of the sentences a little to make it flow better. I just sat down and wrote it one day...I never took the time to go through it again until now, so let me know if you see anything else I can improve. _

_As for more fan fiction - I do have just one more story planned, although I'm not sure when I will end up publishing it. This time I'll leave everything in the series alone and you'll be following Gale (and eventually his wife and kids!) through District 2... D Yes, I love Gale. _

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_Chapter 1  
Gale's perspective._

After two years of hard work, District 2 is finally up and running. Almost normal. A new normal. I've been helping clean up the mess that I created. It's been very satisfying so far, I've absorbed myself in working with Beetee on new weapons for the military, and I've also been working with Paylor on a new government system for Panem. The satisfaction that there will never again be another Hunger Games is a happiness that outshines all others. That the citizens of Panem will never again be forced to watch their children and loved ones fight eachother in a torturous battle to the death. That they will never be driven to the mental state that the victors that have survived to this day have reached. I stopped myself from thinking of their individual names. Most of them, particularly the one I don't want to think about, have already become invisible to the world, anyway.

Finally, I am able to make the difficult decision. Paylor has granted me a few weeks of vacation. I'm going back to visit my family in 12. I try not to think of who else lives in District 12. Or the painful memories that the woods outside of 12 contains. _She never loved you, anyway. _I tell myself. As the train chugs along, the pit in my stomach grows larger and larger.

We reach our destination and I find myself standing not in the square in my childhood memories, but a more modern version_. _I wander through the rebuilt town, occasionally greeting an old friend, making sure to stay clear of a certain part of the district. Eventually, I find the large updated house that sits in the Seam where our old shack used to be. It is nice. Clean, new. And huge. I stand in front of it for a minute, taking it all in, and then give a few hard knocks on the strong wood door. Much stronger than the one that kept the outside world from entering the tiny two-roomed shack that used to stand here.

Rory opens the door. He's grown much taller and looks so much older than the last time that I've last seen him. "Gale!" he shouts and we embrace for the first time in a very long time. I can hear Vick, Posy, and my mother storming through the house. "Gale!" They repeat over and over, and then the fury of questions is unleashed -I never told them I was coming.

We talk for hours about the new Panem, about my new job, about my mother's work, about the children's past times and school. Rory tells me he's been hunting, but he doesn't say who taught him how. I don't ask him. I purposely avoid speaking about anything Mockingjay-related. It's easiest not to think about it. Finally, it's late and we head to bed. I don't sleep soundly. I never have since the day she shot Coin. Her wild screams echo through my head as they pin her down. "Gale!"


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

I spend the next few days with my brothers and sister. Rory skips school and I take him into the woods to hunt with me. There is something familiar about his technique, and he successfully shoots two squirrels by a clean shot through the eye. I'm able to shoot three squirrels and a rabbit and then we gather some berries from the bushes near the stream. It's nice to spend time with my family again, to provide for them even though they are well off now that the Capitol has been over thrown.

I have about a week left until I must return to District 2. It's hard to stay away from the upscale side of town, like it's hard not to scratch an itch. I've seen Delly and Peeta roaming the streets, but I never stop to say hello. After a restless night, I decide to go for a walk one early morning. It's peaceful to watch the Seam in the wee hours of the morning, before the workers begin emerging from their houses to head to the factory. Greasy Sae is one of them, although I'm sure she is not headed to the factory. She carries a large bag made of sack cloth, and her granddaughter runs along behind her. She spots me and says hello. We converse for a few minutes. I ask her where she is headed. She snorts loudly. "I'm sure you know where I'm headed. It's the first stop you should have made the moment you stepped off that train." She shoots a glare in my direction and then turns and continues on her way. I stand there, stunned. Her words hit me like a wall. They echo in my head. Of course that's where she's headed. I look after her, her little granddaughter dancing behind her. And some impulse makes me follow her. All the way through the Seam. Through the town square. Into the Victor's Village. The one place I promised myself I would not visit on this short trip to District 12.

Greasy Sae pulls out a key and unlocks the door. Primrose bushes are planted around the entire perimeter of the house. The sweet smell of their flowers stings my nose. _Prim. _Suddenly, I see her again. That accusing on her face. Her grey eyes wouldn't meet mine. The regret I held was overpowering. _"You didn't come to see me in the hospital."_She said quietly. It was not a question, but I couldn't manage to come up with an adequate excuse, so I said nothing. _"Was it your bomb?"_ Out loud, the words sting even more. _"I don't know."_I replied. _"Neither does Beetee. Does it matter? You'll always be thinking about it."_And then silence. Nothing. Which stings even worse. Suddenly it is hard to keep my composure, as the memory fades. I'm standing again behind Greasy Sae, who's opening the door. My hands are shaking as I step into the dark house.

Orange and red coals flicker in the fire place. They cast a eerie glow throughout the dreary living room. Greasy Sae heads to the kitchen. I close the door behind me, and keep a hold of the door knob, just in case. I should have never come. It takes a minute for my eyes to adjust, but I can hear the quiet sobs. They grow louder as Greasy Sae begins banging around in the kitchen.

Finally, I see her. She's curled up in a ball on the couch farthest away. Her arms are wrapped around her head. Her eyes shut tightly, tears streamed down her cheeks. I don't know how long I've been standing there, but it feels like a while. The smell of Greasy Sae's broth engulfs the room. Slowly, I let go of my hard grip on the door knob, I'm sure she's still asleep.

Quietly, I make my way across the room as if I was stalking a wild animal. I sit down carefully beside her. Her sobbing grows heavier. Seeing her in such pain makes me brave. I stretch my hand out and lightly stroke her back. The feeling of her tangled hair beneath my hand shoots a tingling sensation up my arm. I shiver. _Katniss. _I can hardly believe how much I have missed her. I sit near her, stroking her gently as she endures what ever nightmarish thoughts invade her. There's also an occasional moan. This time around it's a shriek. Her hands claw into her skull, ripping out handfuls of hair. She begins violently rocking back and forth and suddenly, her eyelids fly open.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

For the first time in over two years, her grey eyes meet mine. There's a wildness to them that's unfamiliar. Her fear is evident, like a wild animal that's spotted it's predator about to pounce."Gale!" She cries, the tears fall faster and the sobbing becomes a loud choking sound."Katniss." I say quietly. I can't remember the last time I said her name out loud.

I reach out to her, and slowly wrap my arms around her cold body. She turns to me, her eyes shut tight. She presses her forehead against my shoulder and her tears stain my shirt. She grips my shoulders tightly. "Oh, Gale." She gasps, over and over. I stroke her hair and lightly kiss the top of her head. "Katniss."

We sit there in each other's embrace for what seems like an eternity. I never wanted to leave. "What have they done to you?" I whisper in her ear. She doesn't say anything, and for once it's okay. Because when she's ready, I will be here for her.

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**AN: **November 29, 2012. _Okay, okay. First, thank you so much for the reviews and messages! They mean so much to me! Second, I am only updating to fix a few grammar errors and the weird tense thing that was going on in the last chapter. Everything seems to be a little better now, so I think this is it...I don't plan continuing a KatnissxGale fanfic...this is just because I _needed _a happy ending for Gale. Just so I can come back and read it and not feel so empty and awful when I'm done reading Mockingjay! (I call it my post-Mockingjay depression. It usually lasts about 2 weeks post-Mockingjay, and I obsess over all things HG during that period. I'm currently going through one as of right now. Heh.)_

_As for the other fanfic I promised...I'm not when it will be done, if ever. Keep your hopes up, I might finish enough of it to post a few chapters here, we'll see. I'm also working on another story, from Gale's perspective, starting the day before the Reaping and ending shortly after Katniss shoots Coin. I think it is coming out fantastic, if I do say so myself! Keep your eyes open :)_

_Reviews are GREATLY appreciated! Thanks for reading, guys! _


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